Lost Memories
by RogueRed
Summary: Originally titled A Hidden Secret. Stranger comes aboard Moya, but is strongly related to the crew and some info on wormholes. Takes place in season 3, before the last eps...J/A. (Under Construction)


Summary: A mysterious young girl comes aboard Moya, not knowing that she holds a secret vital to the crew.(Of course, it's gonna be part of the J/A relationship like all my other fics, but I'm only telling you that so you'll read it :)  
  
Spoilers: Season 3. This takes place a little while after Fractures, but it's before the final four eps of season 3.  
  
  
  
Hands tied behind Avenara's back, she struggled constantly. But of course, this was no use. That frelling Sheyang had her tied up good, and had some bad intentions to sell her for a high price. She had vowed she wouldn't be captured again, yet here she was, defenseless to probably being sold into slavery, forever. She had hardly lived, and for the past few arns she had been frantically trying to think of some way to escape. She needed a chance. She needed him to get distracted. But how? He had been watching her every microt. Would he even sleep? Something caught her attention, however.  
  
"A leviathan!" Jeeleto said. "There must be some good loot aboard there!"  
  
A frizzy noise, then moments later, the face of a Luxan appeared onto the screen.  
  
"Who dares focus their guns towards my ship?!" the Luxan commanded.  
  
"I, Jeeleto! Who are you?"  
  
"I am Ka Dargo. I demand that you un-target us immediately, or my Luxan fleet will destroy you!"  
  
"A Luxan fleet on a leviathan? Do you think I am a fool?!"  
  
Avenara suddenly was spurred with an idea, like most ideas came to her. She quietly inched towards Jeeleto's knife. He was so pre-occupied with the Luxan that he didn't even notice. He loved to debate. She untied herself and grabbed the pulse rifle from the desk. Jeeleto still didn't notice. Avenara hid behind a large steel box and fired at Jeeleto right into the middle of his behind. Then she pulled back, and a huge explosion erupted. The ship was quite sturdy, so Avenara knew that the ship could take this "loss." Avenara sighed in relief. Now was her chance to get off this ship.  
  
"Ka Dargo, I have just saved your life. Jeeleto had me imprisoned, and I wish a safe place to stay. For saving you and your ship, may I stay on your leviathan safely?"  
  
He eyed her for a second, then agreed for her to come on board.  
  
*********  
  
"Crichton, some young sebacean girl is coming aboard Moya. She saved our lives, so I believe it's only fair."  
  
"How old do you think she is, Dargo?" John answered back on his comm.  
  
"13 or 14 cycles old, maybe 15. She has a gentle face. I believe she is trustworthy."  
  
The crew aligned themselves in the transport hangar. John carefully separated himself from Aeryn, as not to upset her. It was frelling hard to do. Being separated from her for so long and now this was just nearly too much for him. Rygel held his head high. Jool looked very comfortable, as though welcoming in a regular house guest. Aeryn, of course, had her hand over her gun, ready if she needed to attack. Everyone else just stood quietly.  
  
The pod landed, and out came a young girl with ashen-blonde hair and warm, brown eyes. She smiled.  
  
"Hello. My name is Avenara. I do not want to hurt you. You must be Aeryn Sun, John Crichton, Joolusko, Rygel the 16th, Bialar Crais, Ka Dargo, and Chiana."  
  
Chiana blinked. She felt as though she knew this girl, but she knew she didn't. So what was this feeling she had?  
  
Aeryn took her hand off her gun. She felt warmth. What was it? She had never seen this girl in her life. And yet........  
  
John was just about gaping. This girl looked a lot like someone he knew, but he couldn't put his finger on it........  
  
Crais first spoke. "Were you a peacekeeper?"  
  
Avenara shook her head. "I am a princess, next in line for the throne, but a war started on my home world and the peackeepers took me in to protect me. But they forced me to kill the innocent, which is something I couldn't bear......so when I refused, people helped me escape from my prison cell. Then that Sheyang got hold of me when my Prowler got damaged."  
  
She waved her hand at the Prowler which seemed to sparkle now.  
  
"I'm so glad I found you all. He would have sold me into slavery for good."  
  
Rygel smiled. "Ah, a royal, at last. Princess Avenara, have you ever played the game Varatool?"  
  
Avenara smiled back. "Ah, many times, your eminence. Are you a good player?"  
  
"Oh, I'm not worried about myself."  
  
She grinned and suggested they start playing once she got her things to her new room. He said he would help her.  
  
"Don't trust Sparky on that" John said quickly.  
  
"I don't. I know he'd try and find my special possessions in my bags. Dominar, wait for me in the matinence bay. I will meet you their shortly."  
  
Rygel looked a bit disgruntled, but he floated off merrily.  
  
"If you want, you can call me Tara, or whatever variation you like. I don't mind."  
  
"If you like, Tara, I will show you to your quarters" Aeryn said with a smile, which shocked the rest of the crew, but John saw that Aeryn's eyes were warm, and he smiled. He loved it when Aeryn smiled.  
  
"Yes, thank you very much" she said, being polite.  
  
Aeryn and Tara walked out, Tara's dark, beautiful black, blue, purple and silvery dress flowing out from behind her. She wore an elegant black tie around her waist which seemed to glitter.  
  
Chiana smiled. "Finally, some life can come back!"  
  
She skipped away, Dargo and the rest staring after her in amazement at everything.  
  
*******  
  
Tara was now in the middle of the game with Rygel. It was quite heated up, but Tara was sure she was going to win. Trouble was, Rygel was too.  
  
"Foolish young royal........your not going to beat me" Rygel said with a sneaky grin.  
  
"And old royal, you cannot be taught new tricks" said Tara the same mocking way, making her final move to win the game.  
  
Rygel sat there, dumbstruck. "Yotz......how......?"  
  
"I was taught by the best, Dominar. Although I must say you were quite the challenge for me. And that, I promise you, is a high compliment."  
  
"But now I have to lose all of these crystals!" Rygel said sadly. "I worked hard to win them!"  
  
"I don't need all of them, Rygel. I'll take almost half. Is that alright?"  
  
Rygel looked up. She is so sincere and kind, he thought. No one has ever been this kind to me. Frell, not even Stark was this nice to me.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really. Keep as much as you like, though it would be nice if I could keep at least a little of the winnings" she said with a smile.  
  
"For your kindness, you can have half of the winnings" Rygel said, trying to sound supreme over the situation. Little did he know, however, that Chiana had been watching the entire time.  
  
"Can it, frogbreath! Don't act so high and mighty! No ones ever been this nice to you!"  
  
"That's speaking the truth" Rygel muttered.  
  
"Hey, Tara! Wanna go exploring? It's a lot of fun..."  
  
"Don't trust her!" Rygel said immediately. "You'll get into a lot of trouble if you stay with her-"  
  
"Can it! Come on, it'll be fun...."  
  
"Er-I hate to interrupt" Pilot said, flashing onto the clamshell. "But I was wondering if Tara could come down to my den. We need to discuss something."  
  
Tara's eyes widened. All of the characters onboard Moya had intrigued her, but Pilot was probably at the top of her list. She was quite flattered to be called upon by him.  
  
"Coming, Pilot" Tara replied. She glanced at the two and said, "Excuse me. We'll finish this discussion later."  
  
Chiana and Rygel sat there, gaping, at Tara as she left. Why did everyone like to take the fun out of everything?  
  
*********  
  
Tara quietly walked into Pilot's den. She suddenly felt warm inside, as though nothing could hurt her in here. The feeling felt odd, yet somehow she remembered it, somewhere, very far away.  
  
Pilot looked up at her and smiled. "I wished to speak with you.......to get to know you better. I sense......I don't know how to put it. Have you been on may leviathans before?"  
  
Tara bit her lip. No, she didn't, but it felt so normal. "No" she replied.  
  
"So you're a princess?" he asked. "How big is your home world?"  
  
"Quite big. The center planet is Tesinara, but it isn't nearly as big as Moongana."  
  
"Moongana is part of your system?" Pilot asked, eyes widening.  
  
It was a famous planet that tourists just loved to visit all the time.  
  
Tara nodded. "I-suppose you've never been there, though. What is it like, to be stuck in one place for the rest of your life?"  
  
"I love being the care-taker of Moya, but I often-long to see new things. I can't see any beautiful wildlife, or different waterfalls, or anything the others talk about. It-makes me sad. And I'll never learn to love, to have a family."  
  
It was interesting that both could confide in each other so quickly. Tara blinked at this thought.  
  
"Well, you have a family here. It may not be blood, but you are family. I had to live without my true parents for so long, even now. And now I'm back to nothing."  
  
To nothing. Was that all she was? All she would be?  
  
"You aren't nothing, my dear. We are all special, in a unique way. And soon you will find that you have a family here. I look forward to talking to you again. Right now I need to check up on some readings, but I'll talk to you again."  
  
"Thank you, Pilot" Tara said, nodding, and walked out.  
  
*********  
  
Crichton didn't know what the frell it was. That girl was so familiar, yet he knew he had never seen her before. Ever. And his gut told him that. So why was he going so freaking crazy?  
  
And Aeryn. The way she looked when she saw Tara. It wasn't the regular Aeryn he knew. Then again, He hadn't been able to speak to her in ages, or what felt like ages. And it hurt. Boy, did it hurt. Here he waits for Lord knows how long for her arrival, and she won't even say a word to him. And knowing what she had been through was even worse, if that was possible...........  
  
John was just wandering around Moya. Not any destination or goal, just meandering. John heard some familiar voices coming from a room.  
  
"The first thing you need to know around here is to carry a gun. Always. Otherwise you'll be dead in less then a solar day, and we don't want that" Aeryn said.  
  
Aeryn. John did a double-take and decided he'd listen in on the conversation.  
  
"So I guess this dress won't do good either" Tara said, nodding. "Then again, this is one of the only two dresses I have. The rest is peacekeeper uniform. I'm just worried that I'll freak everyone out, and I don't want to copy you....."  
  
"Nonsense. I know the perfect outfit for you. These black leather pants.......oh, this is a nice top. The sleeves have a nice pattern, and you won't get hot in it. And it's not all black, it has some blue, purple, and reds in it.......and of course, your tiara. Perfect! I'm not exactly someone who tries to dress up people, but we'd have problems if I let Jool dress you up from what Chiana has told me......and I really don't think I'd trust Chiana, either........"  
  
John snook a peak. Tara did look nice. And she wasn't copying Aeryn, that's for sure.  
  
"Thanks Aeryn!" Tara said happily. She looked up to Aeryn already. But something was bothering Tara. She was afraid to ask the question, though. "Er, Aeryn-what's up with you and Crichton?"  
  
John held his breath, but at the same time, he had a question too.  
  
"Wha-what do you mean? You said you can search through minds......I really- "  
  
"No, I know the whole past, and I'm sorry I'm butting into this, but it's just......I'm sorry, Aeryn. I should never have asked you that question. How selfish of me."  
  
"Not in the least, Tara. I promise I'll explain things better to you later. Although I still don't see how you can't understand.........oh, well. Let's show everyone how you look!"  
  
John gasped and ran out of sight, out of breath. He wondered if this would ever get better. This whole I-don't-want-to-talk-to-you-thing was getting unbearable.  
  
Scorpius was getting more and more agitated. After all those cycles of hard work, he STILL didn't have all the information needed to create the perfect wormhole. Test after test failed. Disgusting ooze coming out of prowlers left and right.  
  
It was exhausting, and he didn't know how much more patience he had.  
  
There was one person in the universe who had the vital information he needed. John Crichton.  
  
But he was even harder to find then the wormhole technology. Or at least, Scorpius would get him, but Crichton just easily slipped out of his fingers.  
  
However, Scorpius had been holding a young girl for some time who was originally a princess, but the peacekeepers took her in for protection and training. And she escaped her cell a few weekens ago, just before Scorpius was going to have a little"talk" with the girl. He hadn't learned where she was since.  
  
Scorpius believed this girl, Avenara, had the vital information he needed.  
  
"Scorpius" Braca said, coming from behind Scorpius in what looked like a comfy chair. "Good news. Our sources have indicated that the girl you seek was picked up by a Sheyang."  
  
Scorpius turned, feeling the scarren heat coming over him. "Good news, Braca? The Sheyang would have sold her or used her for something else by now! Perhaps target practice!"  
  
"The girl, from our sources, blew up the Sheyang's vessel, coming onboard a leviathan. Moya."  
  
Scorpius's eyes flickered, and he smiled. He really needed to brush his teeth.  
  
"And" said Braca, looking quite pleased, "our scientists believe there has been a breakthrough and believe they have nearly solved our problems with the wormhole technology."  
  
"Brilliant, Braca" he replied. "I want to get Crichton for some unfinished business. And the royal planet will pay a handsome sum for the girl. I also believe that she is related to Crichton."  
  
Braca's eyes widened. "You mean-?"  
  
Scorpius smiled.  
  
*************  
  
Tara had been on Moya for a while now and felt like she was already at home. She had finally taken Chiana up on that sneaking around stuff, but she didn't feel it was any fun. Chiana always wanted to see what such and such was doing or such and such was saying. Tara knew that it was not right to listen in on private conversations, and she left the moment Chiana wanted to see what Dargo was saying to Jool. Tara told her she should do the same.  
  
"This is irresponsible and childish" Tara told Chiana. "You know better. You lost Dargo because you chose to. Don't bring me into this!"  
  
"You stay here! Or else I'll-"  
  
"You'll what? I have nothing to hide from you. Nothing. So leave them alone, and mind your own business."  
  
"I know you want to understand Crichton and Aeryn's relationship" Chiana said, tilting her head.  
  
"Aeryn will tell me when she's ready. I can't see through her heart at this point. I have to know someone really well to."  
  
"Then you don't understand what went on with the two Chrichtons?"  
  
"Two?" Tara said, confused.  
  
"You didn't see it?"  
  
"No. I-I guess not."  
  
"Then you don't know that one of them died. The one that Aeryn was with on Talyn, whom she loved."  
  
"So-gosh, that's awful. For both of them. That's why Crichton stays out of her way?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Tara shook her head and left. She decided she'd talk to Aeryn. She felt so close to her. Tara didn't understand what it was, but she felt so close to her.  
  
"Tara?" Pilot's voice said on her comm.  
  
"Yes, Pilot?"  
  
"Your needed to help fix the conduits with Crichton."  
  
"Sure, Pilot."  
  
Well, if you can't talk to her, you can talk to him Tara thought as she headed down.  
  
***********  
  
Crichton was anxious. He wanted to find out more about Tara. There was just something about her that was so familiar..........he wouldn't be surprised of anything, after being in the Uncharted Territories for so long. But what was it about this girl? Maybe.........she looked so much like.................how could he put it?  
  
Tara walked in casually, completely used to going to fix things on Moya constantly, but today she felt a little nervous. She hadn't really talked to Crichton on her entire stay here. Maybe he was too afraid to be near Aeryn because of everything. Well, maybe not afraid, but he didn't want to hurt her. Tara had seen some pretty interesting things in Crichton's mind; even the Scorpius clone could talk to her, which was scaring Tara a lot. She couldn't understand how Crichton could possibly live under all of these circumstances. Tara knew loss. It was painful. And all she saw in Crichton was pain.  
  
"Hello, Tara" Crichton said gently.  
  
Tara smiled and nodded, and then set to work. I need to find out everything. Maybe he'd feel better if he talked. Where have I heard that?  
  
"So, Crichton........you are having a pretty tough time right now. With Aeryn, I mean."  
  
John closed his eyes. Man, I should've thought about this. But I need to talk to someone.  
  
"Yeah" John said hoarsely.  
  
"I know I shouldn't really be asking you these things" Tara said, lowering her head. "But-things are usually worsened if you don't talk about them. You've tried everything you know to do. Just tell me about all this time you've been away from her. I can't see it. That clone likes to block me out."  
  
Crichton looked at her and smiled. She's smart. She understands. Dargo can't give me advice. Maybe she can.  
  
"The only reason I live is because I know she's alive" John said. "And when she left, with the other me, I........I didn't know what to do. I didn't even know if I'd see her again. And I know she's hurting. That's the worst part. I can't help her. If she even sees me, she gets upset. She can't show it. She was a peacekeeper. She can block out emotions after her share of crying."  
  
Tara nodded. "When I was a peacekeeper, I had to learn not to think of emotions. All that killing of the innocent........I felt terrible. To think that my home world was being killed, and then I'm killing defenseless beings. Oh, sure, I carry a gun wherever I go, it's the only way you stay alive, and I do like to shoot things. But not like that. I had a love back on the peacekeeper base, from my planet."  
  
Tara leaned her head back for the pain to go away. Being taught by a Delvian priest to take away physical pain was one thing. But emotional was something else.  
  
"His name was Janeck. I was very close with him for as long as I can remember. He helped me escape the peacekeeper base, and we were going to pretend someone had kidnaped me, which did, but they caught Janeck out of bounds while I was flying away. I heard the blasts......."  
  
Tara sighed. "Well, he's gone. Just like everyone else. I take it. I think something big would have to happen to get Aeryn back to you soon."  
  
Then Tara had a flash. She was running through a field, running towards someone: her father. They laughed as he picked her up and swung her around. She was so happy........  
  
Then, back to reality. Tara blinked.  
  
"What's wrong?" Crichton asked.  
  
"Um, nothing, just a bit of a headache."  
  
Well, that was a nice coverup. Time to go now. I feel sick.  
  
"Well, these conduits look finished" Tara announced, getting up.  
  
"You should probably get some rest if that headache is bothering you that much" said Crichton.  
  
"Yes. Thank you, Crichton."  
  
***********  
  
Jool was in her quarters, looking through some things she had gotten at the last commerce planet. She had found some really nice jewelry, with beautiful dark blue stones. They shimmered beautifully in the light, and Jool admired them. Jool was starting to get hungry and was thinking of going to the galley when she heard a noise behind her.  
  
Jool gasped. "What was that?"  
  
She cautiously got up and started looking around, sneaking. "Hello? Is anyone-anything-there?"  
  
A little rattle told Jool that indeed there was something in her quarters.  
  
Jool tapped her comm. "Um, anyone there? Please?"  
  
Tara answered. "What's wrong, Jool?"  
  
"There-seems to be something- strange in here."  
  
Tara broke into a run and yelled, "I'm on my way!"  
  
Aeryn, John, and Dargo had heard the entire conversation and were now heading towards Jool's chambers, too.  
  
Moya's corridors seemed to go on forever before Tara finally reached Jool's quarters, hearing presumably Dargo's feet behind her.  
  
Tara stopped in the doorway and looked at Jool. She seemed to be hiding in a corner, completely scared by whatever she had seen. Then Tara realized that there was something tall, skinny and slick standing upright, ready to pounce.  
  
Tara reached for her pulse rifle, as she usually did nowadays, and aimed at the creature that John would say looked like a cobra snake, except this thing looked a lot milkier and ghostly, the color of blood red. She shot at the creature.  
  
Tara's aim was perfect, precise, and Aeryn was just about to say to Tara that she was a good shot, but something nobody expected happened. Instead of killing the snake, it's body just seemed to absorb the blast and didn't experience any pain. However, the blast wasn't exactly quiet, and got the snake's full attention. He turned to stare at Tara. Tara was trying to read this creature's mind. If it was weak, she might be able to control it. It wanted to kill.  
  
"No" Tara thought, trying to trick this animal. "You want to be calm and peaceful. You do not want to kill."  
  
"Not-kill......." The snake stopped for a second. Tara was trying so hard, her head was hurting, but it it saved a couple of lives, she'd be much happier.  
  
"Not-kill.....her. Kill.....bigger........beauty........"  
  
Tara's eyes widened. "No! Not Aeryn! No killing. No killing, no......." her thoughts struggled.  
  
But this creature appeared to be smart, over the level the Delvian Priest had taught her. Tara couldn't prevent it.  
  
"Aeryn, look out! He's gonna try to kill you!" Tara shouted.  
  
For that frozen moment in time, Aeryn blinked, not knowing what to do, since her gun couldn't exactly kill this thing. She was defenseless. She was rooted to the spot. She tried to move, but she couldn't. It was as though she had become a statue, and suddenly she felt very cold.........  
  
John's eyes widened. "NOOOOO!!!!!" he shouted, jumping in Aeryn's direction.  
  
The snake was coming closer, and closer. Jool was screaming. Dargo had his mouth wide open in shock and terror. Tara was actually afraid for the first time in her life. To lose someone she had come to care for so much. For someone who had done so much for her. And she couldn't move, either.  
  
************  
  
Aeryn slowly opened her eyes. She felt warm and dazed, and couldn't exactly remember what had happened. A smoky snake..........Jool screaming........John.......  
  
Would he be there, right next to her, like he was when she had been stabbed so long ago? Aeryn couldn't push him away now. She needed him. She was afraid to love, but she loved him. All she wanted then was John. She turned her head and got her wish.  
  
John looked tired and worn, as though he'd been up forever for her to wake. Moya was extremely quiet. How long had she been asleep? A few arns? A few solar days?  
  
"John" Aeryn said hoarsely.  
  
He looked up and smiled as much as he could. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"A little dazed and tired. How long have I been out?"  
  
"Nearly a solar day now. We were getting worried."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I ran towards you, hoping that I could get you out of the way of that thing, and I did. You were really cold, and you kinda just-went out. You wouldn't wake up" John said sadly.  
  
"Thank you" Aeryn whispered.  
  
John looked up again. His eyes were filled with hope. It tore Aeryn apart to see him like that, but it was best that she didn't exactly move.  
  
"Don't mention it" John said, not seeming to be thinking.  
  
But Aeryn remembered. "Why would I ever mention it?"  
  
John looked up again, surprised. Aeryn smiled weakly.  
  
He walked up to her and kissed her on the forehead. He smiled at her. They entwined their fingers and John stood there for the longest time, vowing to himself that he would watch Aeryn with his life.  
  
**************  
  
"What do you mean?!"  
  
Scorpius was in a rage. They had the leviathan's location, right in his hands, and then all the information had disappeared. How? Why? He desperately needed that information. He was so close, he just needed the girl or Crichton.  
  
"I'm sorry sir" Braca said sadly. "We cannot identify who destroyed the information. Everything is under investigation right now."  
  
Scorpius started to pace. He was thinking very hard. He needed that wormhole information desperately. He needed to get it, somehow. So how was he going to find Moya?  
  
He stopped. "Braca, I believe their not quite far away from us" Scorpius said. "Have a team search the outer quadrants. I think I know where they may be."  
  
"Scorpius" Braca said, coming closer to the scarren-sebacean breed. "We are very close to unlocking the information to complete the wormhole. Even if you did catch Crichton and the girl, how could you get into their brains?"  
  
Scorpius smiled a nasty grin, his black teeth showing.  
  
"I've been working on something" he said slyly. "I believe it will help me unlock the information I need. But it will be time-consuming, and........probably quite painful for the patient."  
  
"More painful then the Aroura Chair?" he asked intently.  
  
"Oh, quite a bit more painful" Scorpius replied, a glint in his eye.  
  
*************  
  
"Oh, I just love your hair" Jool told Tara, brushing it. "I can't do much with mine nowadays. I can't exactly straiten my hair."  
  
"I've always been quite fond of yours" Tara replied.  
  
"Oh, thank you" said Jool. "Tara, you said you are a princess..........and your planet is in chaos. Do you miss your home?"  
  
"It's not actually my home" Tara said without thinking.  
  
Jool stopped for a moment and blinked. "But you're a princess.......wouldn't you have been born there?"  
  
Tara finally had figured out what she had said. She wasn't exactly all too happy with telling someone this, but she might as well get it off her shoulders.  
  
"Alright.......I haven't exactly told the entire truth. I can't remember anything from before I was six cycles old. I wasn't born royal at all. I was found in some odd-looking module, completely knocked-out. I had this around my neck at the time" Tara said, showing her the necklace she had around her neck now. It wasn't on some fancy chain, just on some hard material that wouldn't break. The little vial, which was a deep dark fusca color, had some little dust particles at the bottom. The tiny vial was twirled with silver spins that curled at the bottom. Simple, yet quite intriguing.  
  
"What's in it?" Jool asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I don't want anyone to open it. I feel it's safer to keep it un-opened."  
  
Jool nodded.  
  
"Anyhow, the empress adored me and decided she wanted me to rule instead of her offspring. And, supposedly......" Tara hesitated.  
  
"Go on. I won't tell."  
  
"Honest?"  
  
"Honest."  
  
"I'm-I'm not full sebacean" Tara blurted out.  
  
"Wh-what?" Jool said, bewildered.  
  
"I'm not. They don't know how it's possible. Just-just don't tell the others, please?"  
  
"I won't tell" Jool said, nodding.  
  
"Half of me they can't seem to identify. Fifty-one percent, I'm sebacean.......but the odd thing is...........I'm four percent.......Pilot's species."  
  
Jool gasped. "How?"  
  
"I'm not sure" said Tara, shaking her head.  
  
They heard steps behind them, and Dargo came in. Jool had a fear in her eyes that puzzled him, and he frowned.  
  
"Yes, Dargo, do you need anything?" Tara said, standing up.  
  
"Pilot needs some help with something in his den, and he wishes you to help him."  
  
Tara nodded. "Talk to you later, Jool!" she said, skipping off, quite grateful she got out of there when she did. She was afraid she'd already said too much. And, as Chiana had said...........the drds's have ears. Tara was starting to put two and two together, and she now feared the truth.  
  
***********  
  
Tara was hitting different controls all over the place, and surprisingly Pilot didn't even have to tell her twice. Sure, she may have some of his species in her, but this wasn't exactly a short set of instructions. Pilot watched her vigilantly.  
  
"You seem so accustomed to this" he said.  
  
"Well" Tara said, avoiding eye-contact, "I'm a fast learner, I guess."  
  
"Or maybe there's something else" Pilot said, his big eyes narrowing.  
  
"Like what?" she said, showing no trace of worry.  
  
"Like......this" Pilot said.  
  
He played back the conversation with her and Jool. Tara lowered her head.  
  
"Ok, so I have a bit of your species in me. So what?"  
  
"No two sebatians would be compatible if you had a bit of me in you" he said, the wheels in his head turning. "So I have an idea about something."  
  
Tara flashed out. She was in a funny-looking module, her.......father sitting next to her. They were laughing.  
  
"You're a fast learner" he said.  
  
"Well, maybe it's in my blood to be a pilot, like mom" she said.  
  
"Maybe" he said with a smile.  
  
Flash again. She was sitting with her mother. Well, not sitting. A dummy was in front of her. She hit it right in the middle, perfect shot.  
  
"Well done" she said. "But could you hit it while it's moving?"  
  
"Sure" said Tara, finding a small creature on the floor. "I can even hit it smaller."  
  
Blast. Dead. Her mother grinned.  
  
"You're a natural. Or maybe it's because you've watch me and your father so many times."  
  
"Countless. You get the bad guys go adios."  
  
"Oh, no" she said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your picking up your father's language" she said with a laugh.  
  
Flash. She's back with Pilot.  
  
"Uh, Pilot.......did you just feel something?"  
  
"I felt nothing" said Pilot. "Tara, I believe you are the child of two people on this vessel."  
  
"Pilot, you know that's impossible" Tara said quickly. "I mean, for that I'd have to be-"  
  
"From the future" he gasped.  
  
************  
  
John was walking with Aeryn down a long alleyway with dozens of shops. They were hoping they could find something to eradicate the creature that attacked Aeryn, in case there might be more onboard. Pilot hadn't detected anything yet, and told John that everyone was doing fine so far. Still, after that last incident, he felt that they should be careful.  
  
Aeryn groaned. "I can't understand nearly anything their saying. This is pointless."  
  
John nodded. "And it's getting dark" he said. "Do you think we'll reach the pod in time?"  
  
Suddenly, a dak, hooded creature came out of the shadows. "Storm coming. You find shelter" it hissed.  
  
"Wait a minute-a storm's coming?" John said, blinking.  
  
"Yes. That is why the merchants are packing up so soon."  
  
John turned to Aeryn. "Maybe we should find an inn or something for the night, and keep looking in the morning."  
  
Aeryn nodded. "Let's try that place over there" she said, pointing to a ten- story building up ahead.  
  
So they started walking over. But after only a few seconds, John froze.  
  
"What?" Aeryn asked.  
  
He grabbed her arm and said, "Scorpius", pulling her behind a few boxes.  
  
Well, he wasn't hallucinating, alright. It was him.  
  
"Why the frell would he be here?"  
  
"I dunno, Aeryn, but this is certainly a bad place to be right now."  
  
"John, we have no other choice but to go to that hotel. I can't see any others. And the pod is quite a few metras away from here. We wouldn't make it."  
  
John groaned. He watched Scorpius walk away, probably heading back to his carrier probably. He sighed in relief.  
  
"There. He's gone. We'll be fine. Besides, he's already got the technology. He doesn't need you."  
  
"I keep telling myself that, Aeryn. And then I remember that things aren't always what they seem."  
  
Aeryn nodded and they walked inside the building. John walked up to the front desk.  
  
"Hello. We need a room for the night" he said casually.  
  
"Of course, of course" the hynerian said. "Room number 84, level nine."  
  
John took the keys and they headed up.  
  
*********  
  
Tara was looking worried, and Dargo couldn't understand why. It was really bothering him, too, to see this child like this.  
  
"Tara, are you okay? You seem a bit-distressed."  
  
"Er-distressed? Me? Never! I have nothing to worry about......."  
  
Dargo furrowed his brow at her.  
  
"Well, maybe I'm just a bit worried about that weird thing that came and attacked Aeryn" Tara added quickly. "Who knows, there might be loads of them around here........"  
  
Dargo smiled, and his eyes lit up. "Tara, I'm sure that if there are any more of those creatures onboard, we'll get rid of them. John and Aeryn are looking for something down on the planet right now."  
  
"I know, I know....." Tara said, pretty good at acting. "Maybe I'll go check up on Pilot" she said, heading for the door.  
  
"Um-Tara, if you are ever worried about something, or need to talk to someone, I'm always here" Dargo said kindly.  
  
"Thank you" she whispered, heading off at nearly a run.  
  
Moya's corridors seemed to go on forever. The humming, the twenty-something drds she'd seen, just seemed to go on forever. She finally reached Pilot's den.  
  
"Pilot" Tara whispered, walking up to him. "Now I'm sure what you said is right. I had a dream and some flashbacks, and now it all makes sense-"  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Scorpius's Command Carrier is quite close to us. I'm going to take Moya into the planet's shadow to hide."  
  
"Of course" Tara gasped.  
  
Pilot looked at her, eager to hear what she had to say.  
  
"Alright. I've checked everything, right down to my dna. I am the child of Aeryn Sun and John Crichton, from the future. Everything matches up. In my dream, I was probably six cycles old, and I was talking to Crichton, my father. He told me I had a mission, to stop Scorpius from destroying the universe, because a lot of things were going wrong. He said he'd send me back through a wormhole and eventually I'd find all of you."  
  
"Why did they send you so young? Couldn't they have done it themselves?"  
  
"Okay, what do you think Crichton would do if he saw another him? Or another Aeryn came in? Everyone would freak out."  
  
Pilot nodded.  
  
"So they sent me. But I know they won't believe me or let me go on my own to stop Scorpius."  
  
"What's your plan?"  
  
"I have to give myself up to him for the wormhole technology he needs. He'll grow careless and occupied as he looks through my brain............."  
  
**********  
  
John opened the door. He set his stuff down, and felt quite comfortable with the place. It wasn't like most of the dirty and filthy buildings around here. Rather, he felt like he was in a nice hotel in D.C. There was a nice window that had a good view with matching curtains for the room. This place is pretty ritzy, he thought.  
  
But John soon realized something...........one bed. Oh, frell. He'd have to sleep on the floor. But John knew how the argument was gonna go. Aeryn would insist that she sleep on the floor and the deficient human could use the comfortable bed. Oh, well. Might as well get it over and done with.  
  
"Um, Aeryn........you want me to sleep on the floor?"  
  
Aeryn blinked. Oh, frell. Dilemma of all dilemmas, and it had to be tonight!  
  
"Um.......no, I mean, if you want to sleep on the floor.......but you probably don't want to......I...."  
  
"No, it's okay, you'll want the bed-"  
  
"There's more then enough room" Aeryn finally stated.  
  
They both felt awkward. After everything that had happened, they still remembered the same thing-Aeryn being on Talyn was different, because they were a couple and had chosen to be that way. Of course, then death, and she's brought back, and now she's trying to get used to just the idea of walking around with him. But Aeryn had come to some conclusions. Every time she avoided him in the past, things just got a lot worse. But no matter what happened, she always came back to him, because she loved him. Now she'd cleared the air for the both of them.  
  
"Your sure?" John asked, looking at her seriously, but with some deep ray of hope in his eyes.  
  
"Yes" Aeryn whispered, locking lips with him, finally feeling safe and happy again.  
  
**********  
  
Tara felt miserable and was afraid for the first time in her life. She knew what she had to do, and step one was taken care of. But could she bring herself to leave Moya and give herself up to Scorpius?  
  
Tara walked back into Pilot's den. She needed to talk to someone, and since Pilot knew so much already, she decided she'd talk to him.  
  
"Pilot, I don't know if I can do it. Leave Moya. I love it here, and-"  
  
"Your afraid" he said knowing, his eyes pouring into her.  
  
"Yes. I-"  
  
Tara's voice was suddenly cut out by a scream over Tara's comm.  
  
"HELLLLLPPPPP!!!" Dargo's voice screamed.  
  
"Pilot!"  
  
"Tier seven!" Pilot said urgently, Tara running off.  
  
Everything seemed to go in a blur. Dargo was in trouble, and if he was in trouble, not only was the thing going to be VERY dangerous, but someone else was probably going to be in trouble as well.  
  
Tara finally reached tier seven, only to find the odd creature-thing hovering over Dargo and Chiana's immobile bodies. Tara focused onto the creature. She'd been working on her skill levels, and she'd been able to achieve how to destroy things and control minds fairly well. She'd tested it on Rygel, which proved to be quite easy.  
  
The creature stopped slithering in the air and just stopped while Tara focused hard on destroying it. Within nano-moments, the creature broke, or shattered, as if it were made of glass, and the remaining parts evaporated into the air. She had killed it easily.  
  
Tara then ran over to Dargo and Chiana. Their eyes were open and glossy- looking, giving a freaky effect. Tara commed Jool.  
  
"Yes" said a sleepy Jool over the comm, apparently having been sleeping all this time.  
  
"Get over to tier seven quickly. Dargo and Chiana were attacked."  
  
"Be right there" she said, more awake.  
  
In a few microts, Jool had come over, put Dargo and Chiana on rolling stretchers, and got them into the apothecary. Jool started scanning them.  
  
"Frell" she muttered. "I'm going to have to concoct a very difficult form of medicine. I have everything I need, but they won't be up and kicking again for a few solar days."  
  
Tara nodded. "Is there anything I can do for now?"  
  
"Just tell Rygel to keep a good eye open in case something odd happens. I'm gonna have to stay here for the rest of the night."  
  
"Alright. Goodnight, Jool."  
  
Tara left, now knowing what she had to do.  
  
*********  
  
Aeryn slowly opened her eyes, feeling quite warm and cozy. She was also very happy. They had finally truly gotten past the barrier. They were together again. She couldn't push him away anymore.  
  
John stirred next to her, and moved his face into her neck. "Morning, sunshine."  
  
"Morning" Aeryn whispered back. "Do you know what time it is?"  
  
"It's way past getting-up time" John said in an amused voice. "We should probably go get what we need and then head back up to Moya. We can finish this once we get back up."  
  
"Sure" Aeryn groaned. "Until someone walks in on us."  
  
"Pilot will keep 'em busy" John muttered. He leaned closer, if possible, to Aeryn and kissed her.  
  
After about an arn, they were packed up, with the special dust they needed to spread on Moya to get rid of those snake things, and were ready to leave. They got into the transport pod and flew up to Moya.  
  
They docked and got off. Moya seemed strangely quiet.  
  
"Crichton" Pilot's calm voice said over the comm.  
  
"Yeah, Pilot?"  
  
"Could you and Officer Sun come to my den immediately?"  
  
John gave Aeryn an uncertain glance and responded, "Sure. Be right there."  
  
They walked into Pilot's den, seeing Jool and Rygel there, too. They all looked a bit confused.  
  
"Alright, what's all this about?" Rygel mumbled.  
  
Pilot pressed a button, and Tara's image appeared.  
  
"Hello, everyone" her voice said. "If you haven't noticed already, I'm not on Moya at this time. It's no accident. But I must tell you all a story, first.  
  
"A long time ago, when I was six cycles old, I was found in a tattered, odd- looking module, having landed on a royal planet's palace green. I had this around my neck" Tara said, holding out her odd-looking necklace which now glowed a bit. "I was taken into inspection, being checked over, poked and prodded. The emperor and empress absolutely adored me. They chose me to inherit the throne instead of their young, newborn baby boy, for they were getting quite old and were worried about how much longer they might live. For many cycles, I lived in the palace, having no remembrance of my past, wondering who my parents were, and if I was really cut out for being an empress. I learned how to behave in court, how to do crafts, how to be a pa'u, to shoot things, which I must admit I enjoyed doing........and many other things. But one day, everything changed."  
  
She paused for a moment. "The scarrens attacked. The empress feared for my safety and decided to send me off with the peacekeepers and some of my people, making sure I was alright with them. I worked hard on my military training, and I was considered the best pilot there. And I never missed a shot. I was doing well there. I was fitting in.  
  
"But then, one day, I befriended a Nabari male, who was a prisoner and was supposed to be sentenced to death. And, lucky me, I was supposed to pull the trigger. I knew he hadn't done anything, for I could look through his memories, and I knew his heart. I refused to shoot. My superiors were furious. They took me prisoner and locked me up in a cell, feeding me very little, and I always felt as though I was freezing to death each night until someone from the palace snook in and gave me a warm blanket. One day, I hear Scorpius wanted to see me. I knew it wasn't anything good. Finally, I was going to escape. A boy named Janeck, from my planet, helped me escape, but-died in the process. I grew careless of everything, and finally my Prowler went out of fuel. Then I was picked up by the Sheyang, then Moya. I've been having these-flashbacks. Of my past."  
  
She paused again, closing her eyes. "I remembered my father, my mother, my family. And I recognized the voices. Finally, the shapes became clear, the voices became clear, and I checked my dna, to find out that I am truly, definitely, John Crichton and Aeryn Sun's daughter."  
  
John gaped. He looked at the screen, wondering if he'd imagined what he'd just heard. He looked over at Aeryn. She wasn't in disbelief. Rather-she had pain in her eyes. The pain of a mother, worried about her own daughter. A tear fell down Aeryn's cheek. John felt suddenly very worried about Tara. Something had to be wrong.  
  
"And now I remember why I'm here. You sent me here to stop Scorpius from getting the wormhole information at this point in time. If he figured it out now, something awful will happen, and it must be stopped. Scorpius must go through my brain and interrogate me, because the wormhole technology is in my brain, and he'll lay off of you while you insert a virus into their data banks, then rescue me and I must initiate the sequence. Then I will return back into the future, and we won't remember any of these events. You must follow this plan, or the universe is doomed forever. I love you all very much. I can't wait to see you again. I must go know. Goodbye, for now."  
  
Tara's face disappeared. Everyone felt stunned and somber.  
  
"Well, I'm ready to go with Tara's plan" said Rygel, bringing his head up. "Are you?"  
  
John, Aeryn and Jool nodded, uncertain what exactly lay ahead of them.  
  
*******  
  
Tara was in her prowler, unsure of what exactly lay ahead of her. She knew this was the right thing to do, that she had been sent there to do this, but she had to admit, she was afraid.  
  
But she wouldn't let Scorpius win. No matter how much it would take out of her, she couldn't let him figure out the wormhole technology. She had seen some tidbits of John's first encounter with him, and John's bloody screams still rang through her ears, pounding hard. This was why she wanted to do this. To get revenge for her father's sake. For her mother's when she had drowned. Scorpius was going to pay.  
  
Tara now was coming closer to the command carrier. "Identify yourself" a peacekeeper's voice came over the system.  
  
"I am Avenara Crichton, princess of the royal Ranian system, returning immediately to Scorpius. He is awaiting my arrival."  
  
"Proceed."  
  
She landed in the huge hanger bay. Prowlers and weapons galore were being handled by peacekeepers. Tara climbed out, and saw not only Scorpius coming towards her with Braca and some other peacekeepers, but ahead she saw a banic. The banic slave named......Stark. And Tara knew who it was almost immediately. She sent a brain wave to Stark, and he looked back at her, his eyes widened. He looked like he was going to say something, but he was pushed away, gun pointed at his back.  
  
"Ah, hello, princess Tara" Scorpius said with a disgusting, blackened-teeth smile.  
  
"I have an offer for you, Scorpy" Tara said, tilting her head, observing him the way Crichton would, as though there was something deep in her mind.  
  
"Do tell" he said, his smile becoming more evil.  
  
"When I was a newborn child, my father, John Crichton, put the wormhole technology in my head. I still possess it, fully intact. If I surrender to you, you shall leave the crew of Moya alone............forever. You shall not even lay a hand on them, or send anyone or anything after them. They are to be left alone. You get my brain, my friends....my family...will live peacefully."  
  
Scorpius's eyes searched Tara, looking for some lie she had made, but found none. This was exactly what he had been hoping for.  
  
"Fair enough" he said. "To prove I will not go back on my promise, I will give this to you" he said, holding out an iridescent blue crystal on a chain.  
  
"I am-surprised a being such as yourself could find something so lovely" Tara said with a faint smile, taking the crystal.  
  
"Well, no one believes me, but I do try" he said, starting to collect himself. "Now, Tara, you understand that since you are in my custody, I'll have to lock you up while I get the......probe instrument ready."  
  
A shiver went down her spine. "Of course. Lead the way."  
  
************  
  
The plan was stupid. The plan was crazy, in most of their opinions, but they wanted to save Tara, and they'd do anything to do it. Aeryn had become more quiet then usual, s kind of haunting going on in her eyes that only John could see. Of course, it wasn't like he wasn't troubled. On the contrary, he was quite worried about his daughter. Wow. His daughter. He still couldn't believe so much had happened in such a short period of time. And John had a sick feeling in his stomach. What would Scorpius use on Tara to get the wormhole technology? And what if he unlocked it before they could destroy all the power and data?  
  
Jool, Rygel, Aeryn, and John were all seated in a transport pod, completely armed. John didn't think he'd ever see the day when Spanky would hold a little gun in his tiny hand. The whole thing was just outright funny. Now all he needed was a can of beer in his hand and he'd be good to go.  
  
Chiana and Dargo were still out cold, but some fluid was being pumped into them so they'd heal and wake up. Nobody wanted to leave them alone so apt to getting attacked, but Pilot was sure to hide in the planet's shadow. Jool felt bad, but she was determined to show everyone that she could use a pulse rifle just as good as Aeryn........no, make that Crichton......she was good, but not that good. Jool wasn't liked much by the rest of the crew, and she felt this was the best way for her to prove herself to the rest of them. Maybe even to herself.  
  
They landed on the outskirts of the carrier, just to the point that they wouldn't be discovered. Now it was judgement time. Would step one actually work?  
  
Aeryn, John, and Jool stepped out, followed by Rygel hovering in his chair. Jool looked exasperated.  
  
"Rygel, did you honestly have to come in that thing?"  
  
"You bet your curly red hair I do. I couldn't run if I even saw food."  
  
"That's pretty bad, then" John muttered.  
  
Aeryn looked strait ahead, ready to face whatever were to come. "Is everyone ready for step one?"  
  
The entire group said in unison, "Ready", and they all started off. John and Aeryn went in one direction, Rygel and Jool in the other.  
  
Since Aeryn and Crichton could be easily mistaken as peacekeepers (they were dressed in pk uniform and all), they walked through some passageways, soon finding a secret passage that lead to a special sation. Aeryn kept typing in secret codes with every panel, and John furrowed his brow.  
  
"How do you know all of these codes?" he asked.  
  
"When I was a peacekeeper, we had codes for these doors. I guess much hasn't changed around here."  
  
"Well, I guess we can be thankful for that. Where are we heading exactly?"  
  
"The station we're heading to has information we desperately need. It's the only way we'll find out where Tara is."  
  
"Too bad good 'ol Crais isn't here to help us. Having Talyn in space close by would be useful. Say, Aeryn, I know this really isn't the time, but.....what did you mean when you were talking about the Budong?"  
  
Aeryn stopped for a moment, feeling a little stab of pain into her heart. No, he's the same man I've always loved. It doesn't make any difference. He's still here. I love him. He loves me.  
  
Then Aeryn thought of the entire predicament, when they were planning an insane attempt at getting out, Talyn spacing John, John thinking Aeryn had slept with Crais.....eek. She wouldn't do it if her life depended on it. Then she thought about when she called him a drannit. She smiled.  
  
"Well, while I was on Talyn, we.....got eaten by a budong. A real, live, budong. We were in his stomach and we needed to stay put, and not......go down his digestive system, so we used those missiles like we used when Rygel got kidnaped. Since....the other you was with me, and I wasn't really thinking much at the time, I had forgotten it wasn't the same you."  
  
"You-didn't fly out the ass, did you?" John said with an amused smile.  
  
"No" she said, returning the smile.  
  
After a few more doors, they were in. There were a few chairs, and John and Aeryn sat down. Aeryn started typing, pushing a few buttons and controls, and finally Aeryn figured out where Tara was stashed. She frowned.  
  
"What is it?" John asked.  
  
"Stark is with her in the same cell, number 53G" she said with a gasp.  
  
************  
  
Tara had been basically thrown into the cell, and Scorpius was off, working and checking up on his latest torture machine. The thought didn't comfort her in the least bit, but she was here for a reason, and she was willing to give up her life for her parents. Of all the things that had come between them, Tara wanted to at least help with one. Even if she died in the process.  
  
Tara fell to the marble floor. At least this was more ritzy then what her father had been put in. She shook her head, trying to keep her thoughts strait, and realized she was not alone.  
  
She looked up. "Hello, Stark. I am glad to have finally met you."  
  
Stark smiled. "As am I, child. I've wished to meet you. Zhann told me I would."  
  
"Was that what she needed to tell you?" Tara asked.  
  
"Well, actually, no. She was going to tell me, too, but then I was captured during my rest cycle. She will find me, though, and tell me."  
  
"Stark, am I-to die?"  
  
"Child, I'm afraid I cannot see that. You must choose that path for yourself."  
  
Tara nodded. "When I came here, I had hoped-well, that I could've met Zhann. But I can't, since I have no connection with her."  
  
"Ah, but you do" he said with a smile.  
  
"Really? What?"  
  
"Zhann joined with your mother once. And she joined with your father. Every time we join with one another, a little bit of a connection-a little bit of us-is placed in the other person. You have it from your mother and father. When we find Zhann, we will talk with her. She wants to talk with you."  
  
Tara smiled. "Do you sense Dargo and Chiana are alright?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, I believe they are waking up now."  
  
**********  
  
"FRELL!!!!!!!"  
  
"HEZMANA!!!!!!"  
  
Well, needless to say, Dargo and Chiana had woken up to find no one else onboard.  
  
"How could they just leave us behind?" Dargo demanded of Pilot.  
  
"They are on a mission to save Tara and destroy the wormhole information, Ka Dargo. You needed your rest so you'd be fully restored to health."  
  
"Why the frell is Tara down there in the first place?" Chiana asked.  
  
"She was sent on a mission, to save her parents, Aeryn and Crichton."  
  
The words were like a blow, and Chiana and Dargo just stopped, taking the words in.  
  
"But-why does Scorpius want Tara in the first place?"  
  
Pilot groaned. They didn't know it, but Moya was getting signals from Talyn and was trying to tell Pilot at the same time to do something.  
  
"Just listen to the message on the table" he said irritably.  
  
"But can't you just-"  
  
"Shut-up, Chiana! I need to listen to what Moya is telling me now!"  
  
Chiana blinked and started to walk over to the table to play the message, when there was a loud boom and Moya was bumped pretty hard.  
  
"AAAAAHHHHHH!!! Pilot, what was that?!"  
  
"Talyn!"  
  
*********  
  
"I won't do it" Jool said, her nose up in the air.  
  
"You will, bitch, or we're all dead, and I'll be the first to try and kill you."  
  
"I wanted to prove myself, not become a slut."  
  
"Jool, if you don't do this, Tara will die. You need to distract the guards. You know how to scramble things up. All you have to do is go into the control chamber over there, do a couple of alterations so I can get around-"  
  
"Alright, ALRIGHT! I'll do it for Tara. But heed my words, hynerian. You may have been a ruler of hezmana knows how many of you, but you aren't gonna get any-ideas from this, and you tell NO ONE about it. Is that-"  
  
"Clear, yes" he smiled. "Now, let's start this crazy frelling mission."  
  
Jool came out, wearing-well-a very tight, short, red dress. She put on the miss seducive look and ran over to the control room, Rygel right behind. Jool got the door open and started moving different switches around. After about two microts, Jool said, "Okay, Rygel. Got through that hole over there. Take this map with you. See that highlighted spot? That's where Tara is. See those highlighted dots? Those are the people you can trust. Me, Aeryn, Crichton-you are there, too. Just follow the map. You'll meet up with Aeryn and Crichton over at the cell."  
  
Rygel nodded. "That's a long way to go."  
  
"Well, then, move your frelling butt!"  
  
***********  
  
Tara heard footsteps coming and knew that it was time. She hugged Stark and stood up. Sure enough, the door opened, and in came Scorpius.  
  
"Ah, Tara, I see you've met Stark. Well, time to probe your brian" he said with a grin.  
  
"Right" she sighed, following him out.  
  
It didn't take very long to get over to the torture chamber. Scorpius had a strange glint in his eye, and pointed at a squashy chair for Tara to sit in.  
  
"I'm gonna be comfortable?" she said amazed.  
  
"Everyone was complaining, so I decided things would be a bit easier if the chair was more comfortable."  
  
"My father will be envious" she said as she sat down. Metal wrist-holders snapped around her wrists and an odd-looking headpiece came over Tara's head. She closed her eyes. It had looked as though Scorpius was going to have one on his head, too.  
  
Tara heard a snap, then found herself in a grassy field, looking out, seeing her brothers and sisters frolicking. She smiled. Maybe everything had been a nightmare and she was now where she belonged. But she heard steps behind her and she turned around to see Scorpius.  
  
"Where are we?" she asked.  
  
"In your brain. This is one of your distant memories. But now, I think we must pull out the files."  
  
Tara suddenly felt a spasm in her head, and she felt as though it would explode.  
  
"What's that?!" she shouted.  
  
"Your resisting to let me see your files, Tara! Let me see them, and it won't hurt-as much" he said with a nasty grin.  
  
Tara screamed. It was a deadly scream, the kind you'd hear in one of those Alfred Hitchock movies. It rang out all over the base, and for a moment, everyone stopped, just to listen. Even the peacekeepers on duty, working for Scorpius, were worried about what would happen to Tara next.  
  
*********  
  
Tara had experienced plenty of pain in her life, and had learned to deal with it. But her peacekeeper training hadn't prepared her for an interrogation with Scorpius. She felt so drained, so weak, she was ready to pass out and die. Hope it only ends up being the pass out part Tara thought.  
  
She was carried over back into the cell, but thrown onto the floor. Ouch. Stark looked at her nervously.  
  
"No wonder you're so crazy, Stark" Tara murmured.  
  
"The chair, the chair, the chair" he started chanting.  
  
"Stark, shut the frell up. I don't wanna listen to this dren."  
  
"Things will get better, Tara. I promise."  
  
"If only I could believe it" she muttered, then passed out.  
  
*********  
  
John and Aeryn were running through different halls, their hearts pounding. They had been going all over the place, now realizing that they were-well- lost.  
  
Aeryn was ready to pull out her hair. They had lost their tracks about an arn ago, and now they had no frelling idea where they could possibly be.  
  
"John, we need to find a map or something. I'm getting tiered. This is pointless."  
  
She slumped onto the floor, putting her face in her hands.  
  
John sat down next to her.  
  
"Aeryn, this isn't pointless. We are trying to save our daughter. We are trying to save the universe from turmoil. We do insane things, but they are great. Not always good, but we conquer."  
  
Aeryn nodded, staring out into the halls, wishing she could find Tara. What if they were too late?  
  
"John, I'm worried about Tara. Extremely worried. What if we don't get to her in time? Rygel can't really-"  
  
"Take on a whole troop of peacekeepers. Well, Aeryn, Rygel has surprised us before. Maybe he'll do it again."  
  
Aeryn nodded again.  
  
"Um, Aeryn, this isn't really a good time to do this, but-"  
  
John pulled out a beautiful ring, which was set in what looked like white gold with what looked like a taniznite in the middle. It looked quite elegant. He crawled in front of her, down on his knees.  
  
"Aeryn Sun, I have loved you since the first time I saw you. I knew, at first glance, that you were special and the one for me. I'd die for you. Will you marry me?"  
  
Aeryn stared at the ring, then stared into John's crystal blue eyes, begging for her to say yes. Well, he hadn't exactly picked the best time to do this, but Aeryn couldn't think of anything more she wanted to do. She loved him, and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.  
  
"Yes" she whispered, and they kissed for one long moment of serenity, before, yet again, they'd risk their lives around the end of another cycle of knowing each other.  
  
*********  
  
"This is Crais. I am sorry for the-uh-bump I just gave the lot of you."  
  
Everyone groaned and got up. "Back from your vacation, Crais?" Dargo growled.  
  
"Yes. And Talyn senses that several of you aren't on board."  
  
"They are saving John and Aeryn's child. They could use your assistance."  
  
Crais was quiet for a moment.  
  
"Their-child? I've only been gone for-"  
  
"Long story. You gonna help them or not?" Chiana said irritably.  
  
"Well-yes, I suppose....."  
  
*******  
  
Tara was now shaking. The pain was just getting worse, and she wanted so desperately to die. She was hurting too much. Worst of all, Scorpius now had the information he needed, and her parts still hadn't retrieved her. She cried out in fear, not able to think properly anymore.  
  
"Shhhhh" Stark said soothingly, letting down a beautiful memory into Tara's head.  
  
"Sc-scared" she whimpered desperately.  
  
"Strength, wisdom, it's what you have. Hold onto it."  
  
Tara then heard some blasts from the outside, and an alarm had gone off. The noise pained her ears.  
  
"Tara, are you there?" Rygel called.  
  
"Ry-Rygel?! I'm here!" Tara shouted desperately, suddenly regaining her strength.  
  
"Step back" Aeryn's voice said as the door shriveled away. She walked in and ran over to Tara. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Pain....must-stop-Scorpius. He-has the-information-already."  
  
Crichton had a determined look on his face, ultimately saying, "It's time." He started walking away, and Tara struggled to follow him.  
  
"No, Tara. You need your rest!" Rygel said in quite the father-tone.  
  
"But-"  
  
*********  
  
Jool was looking around frantically. Something bad was going to happen....she just knew it.  
  
"Frell, frell, FRELL!" she shouted, running around like a confused ant.  
  
She looked out the window. The earth was shaking. Then....something was coming into view....quite big...........Talyn?  
  
Jool screamed. Talyn was firing, and Jool ran into the direction of what she hoped was the transport pod.  
  
********  
  
"Ah, hello, John. Long time, no see" he said, his black teeth glittering evilly.  
  
"Okay, Scorpy, time for a showdown. You ain't getting the entire information. You think you haven't, but you don't."  
  
"Too late, John. My first test flight with this knowledge is underway. It will return, and I'll finally-"  
  
"I don't care what kind of crap you are saying. You don't deserve to know this information."  
  
"But I have it. Your daughter is quite the example of it. Quite pretty, I must admit. Reminds me much of your Officer Sun-"  
  
"Don't you DARE talk about them. It's one thing to torture me. It's another to kill the love of my life and torture my daughter!" he said, fire burning in his eyes.  
  
"Now, now, John-like I've said before, I do things for a purpose. Even though-"  
  
"SHUT-UP!" he shouted, throwing some odd object John saw closest to him at Scorpius's head.  
  
"Well, looks like someone is getting a little touchy. I thought you were stronger then that, John" Scorpius said, ducking quite calmly.  
  
"WHY?! Why do you have to torture me so? Why can't you just LEAVE-ME- ALONE?!"  
  
Suddenly Braca's voice came over Scorpius's comm.  
  
"Scorpius, I regret to inform you that, other then a few buildings destroyed, our test flight has failed."  
  
"What?! FAILED, Braca? How?!" he demanded.  
  
"We are trying to figure that out now, sir."  
  
"Get back to me soon, Braca. That little girl is going to pay."  
  
Scorpius shut off his comm in agitation.  
  
"Really, Scorpius?" Tara said, walking into the room.  
  
Both John and Scorpius turned in utter surprise.  
  
"Tara, don't do this. Please go back-"  
  
"To Moya? Oh, not yet. This is too sweet a moment to throw away. Scorpius needs to know why everything is messed up."  
  
Scorpius looked up at Tara, amazed to know that she would tell him.  
  
"Oh, I gave you wormhole information, alright, but you didn't us it properly. For, you see, Scorpius...that wormhole information isn't just any wormhole information...it's a time-portal wormhole information. You only used my memories to fill in the gaps. So how could it possibly work?"  
  
Scorpius just gaped at her, utterly amazed.  
  
"My father, John Crichton, was given the original, regular wormhole information, but in order to protect this universe, the ancients implanted the time portal wormhole information in me instead, in case you ever captured me. You, however, will not remember this conversation. Now, if you don't mind, it's time for us to get back to Moya."  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Scorpius shouted, about to comm Braca again.  
  
"The words stuck to you" Tara said, suddenly blasting Scorpius and, yes, ultimately killing him.  
  
"Ding, dong, the witch is dead!" John chorused.  
  
Tara walked over to the control panel and did some altercations.  
  
"Time to go!" Tara shouted, grabbing her father's hand and starting to run.  
  
"Where are we going?!" John shouted.  
  
"The transport pod, before we get blown up by Talyn!" Tara shouted back.  
  
They finally reached it and once everyone(including Aeryn, Jool ect.) was in, they flew away from the base, and once they were out of range, in mere microts Talyn fired.  
  
*******  
  
Everyone now stood in Pilot's den, in a circle around Tara. She looked sad. It was time to say goodbye.  
  
Tara walked up to Chiana first.  
  
"I'll miss you, Chi."  
  
"I miss ya too, missy" Chiana said, hugging her. "I-well, I wanted to give you something. I hope you like it."  
  
Chiana pulled out a silver bracelet with little charms on it. Tara smiled.  
  
"I'll treasure this forever" she said, giving Chiana one last hug.  
  
Then Stark stepped up.  
  
"You are strong, Tara. A brave, honorable soul. Zhann wishes to have a word with you."  
  
Tara gaped but nodded, and Stark and Tara joined. Everyone stood and watched, missing Zhann so terribly. Finally, they let go.  
  
"Thank you, Stark. Don't forget to calm down sometimes."  
  
Stark smiled weakly and Dargo stepped up. He had something in his hand.  
  
"When I was a little boy, my father gave me this, because I had done a great thing. I feel that this should be now given to you."  
  
He handed Tara a dagger, which had a wooden handle which was carved with beautiful symbols.  
  
"Thank you, Dargo. This will come in handy" she said, giving the very much taller then her luxan a hug.  
  
Then Jool came up.  
  
"I-um-well, I thank you for being such a good friend to me. You gave me friendship, the greatest thing of all."  
  
Tara smiled and hugged Jool. Then Rygel was up.  
  
"I'll miss you, Tara, so dreadfully. You have the best traits of your parents. Keep them with you. And, well, I made a charm for you for that bracelet Chiana gave you."  
  
Rygel pulled out a purple-glowing crystal that had a hook on it so it would stay on her bracelet.  
  
"Wow, Rygel. Thank you. But where-"  
  
"Did I find it? If I told you that, everyone else would know" he said with a grin and winked at her.  
  
Tara smiled and hugged Rygel. Up came Aeryn and John.  
  
"We love you" Aeryn said, giving Tara a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"I know. Just try to not push dad away too much, okay? I know you went through a lot, but remember, if something happens, it's not his fault, so don't punish him" she said with a smile.  
  
Aeryn looked a bit surprised, but she nodded.  
  
John leaned over. "Thanks, kiddo. I'll miss you."  
  
"Don't worry. I'm not that far off. Just keep putting Scorpy down and you'll be fine. And don't let yourself get too obsessive with wormholes. Mom means more to you then wormholes."  
  
"Yes, lot more" John said smiling, giving Tara a hug. "But can you tell me something?"  
  
"Yes, dad?"  
  
"If you had to scramble Scorpy's information, after all of this, won't everything that we did disappear?"  
  
Tara smiled. "This was what you told me before I borrowed Farscape 1 from you. You said that when I was going to scramble everything, reverse the time setting on the control panel. I had to do a few more things to adjust it all, but now Scorpius will be thrown off for a bit. And I erased all the wormhole info he had, at least from me. But I can promise you one thing, you still have your work cut out for you, dad. Love you."  
  
Tara then turned around and hugged Pilot. She whispered something to him, and he nodded.  
  
"Well, it's time for me to go. I love you all dearly. Don't let the universe get you down."  
  
Tara opened her necklace, the little bottle hanging on the chain. Violet light flashed out of it, and with a loud clap of thunder, she disappeared, and time started reversing itself.  
  
**********  
  
John Crichton stood out on the terrace, feeling miserable. The woman he loved so dearly wouldn't even look at him, and everything seemed out of place. He sighed to himself and walked out, wandering through Moya's endless corridors, wishing for something to do. Then, something on the floor caught his eye.  
  
A little necklace with a purple-red-colored bottle hanging on the chain was lying there. It was quite pretty. He propped himself on the floor and started looking at it.  
  
Why is this so familiar to me? I've never seen anything like this before.  
  
Aeryn suddenly stopped and saw John on the floor, examining something. He looked up at her and wondered who was going to run. But neither did. Aeryn looked at the necklace in John's hands.  
  
"What is that?" she asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I just found it here."  
  
"It-looks recognizable, but from where, I have no idea."  
  
"That's what I am thinking. I know that I've never seen this before."  
  
Aeryn sat down in front of him and took it from his hands, hers trembling. She looked at it closely. Then she stopped. She looked up at John, as he had simultaneously looked up at her.  
  
  
  
THE END 


End file.
